The telework essentials.
A few tips to better connect with your team
Adjusting to remote work and learning
Millions of us have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. It has affected how we work, how we socialize, our family life, and our community life. To make matters worse, cyber-profiteering is at an all-time high where over 25% of Americans have been deceived by false information and malicious attacks. So we here we are – in the midst of #socialdistancing, and most of us forced to work from home. If teleworking is new to you – you’re not alone. Even team leaders see it as something new – implementing standards and training their team members in telework etiquette while maintaining productivity. But more importantly, it’s about how keeping our sanity while staying focused. Here are a few telework tips that may help you and your team stay calm, efficient, & productive.
Setup your Workspace Find a space in your home where you can concentrate. If you’re somewhere with background distractions, use background blur in Microsoft Teams to keep teammates focused.
Communicate Often Your rhythm with online work from home might look different than it does in the office. For example, you may be balancing work and childcare at the same time. Communicate your schedule to your coworkers so that they know when to reach out to you.
Maintain Healthy Boundaries Without the normal workday signals, like a commute, it can be harder to unplug. Make sure to take breaks, stay hydrated, and give yourself opportunities to “clock out” from remote work at the end of the day.
Embrace Online Meetings Make sure all meetings include a virtual “join” option so that team members can join from wherever they are working. Turn video on so your team can interact face to face and feel more connected.
Be Mindful & Inclusive A crowded conference call can make it difficult for people to share their opinions. Pause frequently to allow time for questions and remind attendees that they can use the chat window to share their thoughts.
Record your Meetings When you start a meeting, hit “record.” Team members who aren’t able to join can watch later or search the automatically generated transcript for important information. That way, people can easily review anything they missed or need repeated.
Make Up for Missing Hallway Talk The quick chat at the water cooler is what many people miss the most when working remotely. Instead, be deliberate about and connecting with your coworkers. Think about chat messages as your virtual watercooler and set yourself a reminder to check in with people regularly.
Bring the Team Together Working remotely can feel a bit isolating. It’s important to create opportunities for the whole team to virtually get together, whether it’s large brainstorms with the Microsoft Whiteboard app or daily check-ins over a virtual coffee.
Have Fun We’re just like you! At FSi, we use the collaborative Microsoft Teams to encourage fun activities and challenges to maintain morale. Holding a “best outfit at home” contest or praising employees for creative ideas are great ways to help the team stay positive, engaged and energized.
Collaborate better.
Designing, implementing and supporting Modern Workplace technology is what FSi Strategies specializes in. We’ve helped hundreds of businesses implement modern security strategies in support of their missions. We invite you to discover how together, we can leverage the intelligent Cloud for the security and privacy needs of your business.